What Started as One Post… Became a Movement
The Momentum Files #52
What Building Career Club Taught Me About Career Change
“Career Club gave me a sense of belonging I didn’t even know I needed. This community understood me more than my relatives or spouse could.”
— Career Club Member, now Executive Consultant and Podcast Host
Five years ago, a single LinkedIn post sparked something unexpected — the start of Career Club, a community that has since supported thousands of professionals navigating career transitions and leadership challenges.
I had no fancy agenda. Just an idea: create a space where professionals in transition could connect, share what they were working on, and support each other.
It was 2020. People were overwhelmed and uncertain. So was I.
Right before that first call, I had two competing thoughts:
What if no one shows up? What if too many people do?
Starting Career Club meant stepping into vulnerability — wondering if what I had to offer would land. But I showed up anyway.
What happened next surprised me.
In the five years since, Career Club has helped professionals through layoffs, pivots, new ventures, and leadership growth.
Some members land new jobs. Others launch businesses. Some stay in the same role — but start showing up with renewed clarity, confidence, and energy.
It all started with that one small post.
What began during the uncertainty of the pandemic as a simple offer to connect — a way to combat isolation and offer meaningful support — has grown into a powerful space for clarity, confidence, and career momentum, where professionals show up for one another every week.
As I reflect on this journey, I want to share some lessons and insights I wish more people knew — the kind that go beyond job search tactics and speak to what really sustains fulfillment and momentum.
What I Wish More People Knew
After five years of hosting Career Club, I’ve realized something:
Most people think they’re joining for strategy — but they stay for connection.
That’s the secret no one talks about.
People often come in thinking they need résumé help, LinkedIn tips, or networking advice — and yes, we cover all that.
But what keeps them coming back is the space to be seen, heard, and supported. It’s the encouragement, the coaching, the relationships — and the realization that they’re not alone.
That connection sparked some of the biggest lessons I've learned — both as a coach and a community leader.
Because after five years of showing up every week — hearing stories, witnessing breakthroughs, and navigating real career shifts — patterns become clear:
🔹 You don’t have to wait until you’re burned out or laid off to get support. The earlier you get help, the faster the shift.
🔹 Coaching isn’t about fixing you — it’s about unlocking what’s already there. Confidence. Capability. Direction. It’s in you — coaching helps access it.
🔹 Community matters more than content. You can Google strategy. You can’t Google support.
🔹 Support + structure = momentum. Every win builds confidence. Every setback feels less isolating.
What I’ve Learned After 5 Years of Career Club
Career Club didn’t grow because of polished marketing. It grew because people were craving something deeper: meaningful support, reliable structure, and a place to belong.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
🔹 People need people — especially in times of change. A community that gets your journey and cheers your growth is a game changer.
🔹 Accountability accelerates everything. Weekly check-ins, small wins, consistent action — it adds up. Momentum builds when we show up.
🔹 You can be accomplished and still feel uncertain. Even the most successful professionals need a place to be real — about fears, doubts, and next steps.
🔹 People wait too long to ask for help. And it costs them — emotionally, financially, professionally.
Career Club reflects these real needs by blending practical strategy with leadership development and emotional support. It’s where people learn to coach themselves, ask better questions, and build resilience.
That’s why Career Club is about more than landing the next job — it’s about what transitions can teach us.
What Career Transitions and Leadership Challenges Really Teach Us
Career challenges aren’t just about résumés or interviews — they’re about internal shifts.
Here are three truths that shape how I coach and how Career Club is designed:
🔹 Most people think job searching is about tactics — but what they really need is to believe in themselves again. Confidence is the first domino.
🔹 Leadership struggles rarely come from lack of skill — they stem from unclear communication, isolation, or unspoken expectations. Clarity and connection shift everything.
🔹 Clarity isn’t found — it’s created. It’s the journaling, the phone call, the coaching conversation that unlocks insight.
With the right support, people don’t just get jobs — they lead with vision, communicate with confidence, and make decisions from strength.
That kind of transformation doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you invest in yourself.
The ROI of Investing in Yourself
One of the most rewarding parts of this journey is witnessing the long-term impact of investing in coaching — not just during a job search, but across multiple transitions.
Coaching isn’t just for landing the next role—it’s about building clarity and confidence for whatever comes next.
One client’s journey over several transitions illustrates this perfectly:
“I started working with Cindy in 2021 while at a logistics start-up, wondering what the next 10 years could look like. I landed a job at Google in a completely different field, but quickly realized it wasn’t the right fit.
Cindy told me, ‘Stop apologizing — they hired you to make Caesar salad, and you’re doing it well. But what you want to do is get back to your world-class brownie baking — and that’s what you’re going to do.’
That metaphor stuck with me. With her coaching and the support of Career Club, I’ve grown in confidence, refined my story, and made bold moves — including starting a new adventure with a London-based consulting firm.
Whatever the investment was, it’s paid dividends across each transition. And whenever I return to Career Club, I’m reminded: I’m not alone. There’s always a next thing.”
She later added this reflection:
“I tell everyone to invest in themselves. We spend so much supporting our kids’ needs but get sticker shock when it comes to ourselves. I’m glad I got over that hump because the support — both active and passive — has been invaluable.”
Coaching. Community. Clarity.
These investments build more than a résumé — they build careers.
How Career Club Has Evolved — And Why That Matters
In the beginning, Career Club was simply a Zoom link, a few conversations, and an open invitation to anyone in transition.
Today, it’s a structured, paid coaching and networking group with members across the country. That evolution wasn’t just a business decision — it was a response to what professionals actually need.
Because when people invest in themselves — with consistent coaching, weekly structure, and a supportive community — the impact compounds:
🔹 They stop spinning and start taking action.
🔹 They reconnect to what they’re great at.
🔹 They build confidence week after week.
So what’s next for Career Club?
More of the same — because it works.
We’re doubling down on what makes this community powerful: authentic support, reliable structure, and meaningful growth.
The tools may evolve. The format may shift. But the mission stays the same:
To help professionals take the next step with confidence, connection, and a clear path forward.
[About Career Club – pull-quote or sidebar box]
Career Club is a weekly coaching + community experience designed for professionals navigating change. Whether you’re in transition, exploring what’s next, or ready to grow in your current role — Career Club provides expert guidance, real accountability, and a community that gets it.
If you’re a professional in transition, feeling stuck in your job, exploring what’s next, or simply tired of figuring it out alone — Career Club might be exactly what you didn’t know you needed.
Come see what it’s about. Join us for a session. The first one’s on me.
👉 Explore Career Club: www.cindyhaba.com/career-club
Here’s to the next five years — and to what’s possible when we stop doing it alone.
Because investing in yourself is the
best career move you can make.
[Is This for You? — box at bottom of article]
Career Club might be right for you if:
You’re in career transition and feeling isolated or unsure of your next step
You’re in a job but know you’re ready for something more
You’re launching something new and want a space to stay focused and grounded
You’re ready to stop spinning and start building momentum
If that sounds like you — join us. You don’t have to do it alone.
The past five years have given me a front-row seat to what resilience really looks like — and it rarely arrives with a polished résumé or a perfect plan.
It looks like people showing up even when they’re unsure. It sounds like laughter in a Zoom room full of strangers. It feels like the shift when someone realizes they’re not stuck — they’re just in between.
After five years, what stands out most isn’t any one success story — it’s the collection of them.
The courage it takes to begin again. The relief of hearing, “Me too.” The spark of clarity that shows up in the most unexpected moment.
This work has changed me. These people have changed me. Career Club has been a front-row seat to transformation — full of deep work, good humans, honest questions, and a lot of laughs along the way.
It’s been more than a community. It’s been a privilege.
Here’s to continuing the work that matters. And to doing it, always, together.